Oil-well machinery



J. D. RUSS.

OIL WELL MACHINERY.

APPLICATION man APR. 13. 1920.

Patented Mar. 7, 1922.

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0/0/77) i g z" JOHN D. RUSS, OF SPENCER, WEST VIRGINIA.

OIL-WELL MACHINERY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. '7, 1922.

Application filed April 13, 1920. Serial No. 373,489.

To all w/wmit may concern Be it known that I, JOHN D. Ross, citizen of the United States, residing at Spencer, in the county of Roane and State of West Virginia, have invented certam new and useful Improvements in- Oil-VVell Machinery, of which the following is a speclfication.

This invention relates to the type of releasable wire-rope socket for oil-wells shown, for instance, in United States Letters-Patent No. 1,190,345, granted to J. J. Varner on July 11, 1916, of which patent I am assignee of an undivided one-half lnterest; and the principal object of the present invention is, generally, to improve upon the construction disclosed in said patent.

The accompanying drawing clearly discloses an'exemplary concrete embodiment of the underlying principles of the invention. Like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views. Briefly described:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation, partly 1n sect-ion, of the device of my invention,

Figure 2 is a diametric sectional view thereof,

Figures 3 and 1 are cross sectional views, on the lines 3-3 and 14i, respectively, of Fig. 2,

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of the gravity-wedge-member for actuating the levers to throw the same into operative position to permit release of the socket-portion of the device from the base member, and 1 Figure 6 is a cross sectional view on the line 6-6, Fig. 5.

Referring, now, in detail, to the drawing:

1 designates what may be termed a base member, which, as shown, is cylindrical, by preference, and is advantageously provlded with diametrically opposite, flat faces 2, 2 for convenience in assembling the base with the portion of the device with which the base is normally connected. The base is, furthermore, provided with axial, threaded openings 3 and 41 extending from opposite ends thereof; and, although the adjacentor inner ends of said openings may meet, it is preferred to have them separated, as shown in Fig. 2 by av wall 5. The threaded opening 3 is adapted for the reception of the threaded upper end of an ordinary sinkerpin (not shown) while the threaded opening 4 is adapted for the reception of the threaded portion 6. of the shank 7 of a securing bolt, having a cross-sectionally annular head 8, provided with peripheral, transversely-extending, equidistantly-spaced grooves 9, for a purpose presently appearmg.

The threadless said bolt is adapted to be loosely disposed in an axial opening 10 in a cylindrical member 11, more particularly hereinafter described. The shank '7 of the bolt passes through, and the head 8 of said bolt rests upon, a swivel washer 12, which is disposed in an internally recessed or cut-away portion 13 in the lower portion of said member 11.

Ball bearings 14 are preferably disposed between the bottom of the member 11 and the top of the base 1.

A. set-screw 15 threaded into a radial aperportion 7 of the shank of ture in the base 1, toward the top thereof, i

normally bears against the threaded portion 6 of the shank of the bolt and tends to prevent accidental unscrewing or loosening of the bolt.

It will be noted, by the construction described, that the base 1' and the member 11 are swiveled with respect to each other; that is to say, each is capable of a rotary movement independent of the other.

The member 11 is hollow, as shown at 16, for the greater portion of its length, commencing at the top thereof and terminating flush with the top of the recess 13 in which the swivel washer 12 is disposed; and, said washer filling said recess, the head 8 of the securing bolt lies within said hollow portion, at the bottom thereof, as shown in Fig. 2.

The member 11 is provided, for a portion of its length, commencing at the top thereof, with two longitudinally-extending, diametrically-opposite grooves 17 17; and extending from the lower end of said grooves to the bottom or lower end of the hollow portion 16 of the member 11 are slots 18, 18.

Toward the upper end of said slots 18, 18, pins 19, 19 are transverse-1y disposed, said pins constituting the fulcrums of levers 20, 20, which are disposed within said grooves 17, 17 and alined vergently-bent upper terminals 21, 21.

Interposed between said levers 20, 20, beneath their fulcrum point, is a helical spring 22, which functions to automatically return said levers to normal position, after moveslots 18, 18, and have conengaged, the plug may be withdrawn from the hollow member 11. I

The plug 24 is provided with an axial extension or stem 26 projecting upward from the head and exteriorly threaded, as shown at 27 for engagement with a correspondingly interiorl threaded portion at one end of a hollow top member 28, which is cylindrical in cross section. The bore of said top member 28 is of enlarged diameter toward its lower end, as shown in Fig. 2; and extending from the top of the threaded portion of the bore the wall of said bore is flared, as shown at 29. Normally, plug 24 is prevented from rotating independent of member 11 by the levers 20, 20 being I seated in grooves 43, 43 in the head 25 of said plug.

The top member 28 is provided, toward its upper end, with exterior, stepped serrations 80, with which a fishing tool may be engaged in case of breakage of the wire rope (not shown) which is held, at one end thereof, within the tubular member 28. In

assembling the parts, said rope is disposed with its end portion in the bore of the tubular member. 28, and the latter is'then.

screwed on the threaded nipple or stem 26 of the plug 24, which spreads and distorts the end of the rope and wedges it against 1 the flaring wall 29 of the member 28, thereby holding the rope against withdrawal from said member 28. A set-screw 31'may be used to prevent accidental unscrewing o r the parts 28 and 26.

Means may be provided for automatically 7 arresting movement 01 the plug 24 atv the proper point, when said plug is turned through the are of a circle to disengage its threads from: thecorresponding threads 23 of; the member 11. Asherein shown, such means preferably comprises a plunger 32 seated in arecess extending upward from l the .bottom ot the head 25 near the circumferential edge thereof, as shown iii Fig. l.

' latter. independent of the head 25. A.

apin 33 extending transversely of a longi tudinally -extending cutaway portion 34 in saidpl'unger preventing rotationof the spring disposed between the top 'o' fth'e plunger and-thetop ot-the recess occupied the plunger functions to force said fplungerdownward. 'Asthe plug-24is r0 the terminals 21. 21,

tated to disengage its screw-threads from those of the member 11, the plunger is brought into registry with arecess 36 in the top of the member 11, whereupon the spring 35 forces the plunger 32 downward into said recess 36, looking said plug against further rotation. The plunger rides upon the top of the member ll until said recess 36 is reached; and. the recess is so disposed relative-to said plunger that they will coincide or register when the screwthreads of the member 11 and the plug 24 are disengaged.

As shown in V levers 20, 20 are in proximity 'to the side of the head 8 of the securing-bolt. To root: said levers 20, 20 into the grooves 90f said head, suitable means are provided. 7 As here Fig. 2, the lower eiids of the V in shown,'such means preferably comprise a lever-operating member, shown inFig. 5. This member is split diametrically, so that it is in two sections 37, 87, each otwhich is arcuate in cross section, so that,when said sections are disposed in position with their side longitudinal edges abutting (see Figs. 5 and 6), a cro'ss-sectionally circular bore lSlJlOVlClGCl through said member. Suit able means are provided for holding said sections together, against accidental disengagement; as herein shown, saidmeans pref erably comprise dowel-pins 38, 38 carried by one section and adapted'to project into openings 39,39 in theother section, and curved leaf-springs 40, 4O disposed-in circumferential grooves 41, 4 1"in said member, as shown in Fig. 5. The ends of said lever-operating member are wedge-shaped, as at 42,42.

Sometimes, the into the base l, becomes sanded fast in the sinken'which is screwed bottom of the 'well, and it becomes nece's- 'szi'ry ,'tliei'etoi'e, to disengage the members 24 and 28-from the memberll. To 'efiect this, the operator places the two sectionsBT, 37

v of the lever-operating member around the wire rope,'which is secured, at one end thereof, in'the top member 28, and. then plates the curved leaf-springs 40, 40 around said sections The lever-operating member is then released, and it falls, by gravity, down the wire rope until the conical end there of moves between the convergentterminals '21, 21 of the levers 20. 20 and comes to rest uponthe topof the head 25 of the plug 24. The conical end 42, as it enters'between moves the latter in a direction away tromeach other, thus moi:- ing said levers out of the grooves 43, 43and rockingthem on their fulcrums '19, 19, whereby the lower ends o-ffisaidlevers are ofthe headfl8 ojf theisecuring-bolt. In this 7 thrown into engagement withthe grooves '91 8 of the securing-bolt 7, rigid with the base 1, which is immovable because the sinker which it carries is fast in the bottom of the well. The levers 20, 20 thus function as clutches to engage the bolt-head 8, as described. The wire rope is now twisted, thereby rotating the plug 24 until the screw threads thereof become disengaged from the co-operating screw threads 23 of the member 11 and the plunger 32 moves into the recess 36, thus arresting further movement of the plug and thus notifying the operator that the top member 28 is disengaged from the central member 11; whereupon the wire rope, with the top member 28 and plug 24, ma be drawn upward out of the well.

l' hile I have described with great particularity, in accordance with the sections of the Revised Statutesof the United States relating to Letters-Patent for mechanical inventions, a physical embodiment of the un derlying principles of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and purview of the invention, or necessarily sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim 'as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. A releasable device for the cable line of oil well machinery, comprising a cylindrical base-part, a cylindrical member rotatable on said base-part, a member releasably carried by said cylindrical member, and means carried by said cylindrical member and normally engaging said releasable member to lock the same against release, and movable to lock the cylindrical member against rotation.

2. A releasing device for the cable line of oil well machinery, comprising a cylindrical base-part, a cylindrical member, a bolt carried by said base-part and on which said cylindrical member is rotatable, a member re- 'leasably carried by said cylindrical member,

, tation.

and means normally engaging said releasable member to lock the same against release, and movable into engagement with said bolt to lock the cylindrical member against ro- 3. A releasing device for the cable line of oil well machinery, comprising a cylindrical base-part, a cylindrical member rotatable on said base-part, a member releasably carried by said cylindrical member, and members pivoted to said cylindrical member and normally engaging said releasable member to lock the same against release, and movable to lock the cylindrical member against rotation.

4. A releasing device for the cable line of oil well machinery, comprising a cylindrical base-part, a cylindrical member, a connection between saidbase-part and said cylindrical member, on which the latter is rotatable, said connection being provided with a series of grooves, a member releasably carried by said cylindrical member, and members pivoted to said cylindrical member and normally engaging said releasable member to lock the same against release, and movable into said grooves to lock the cylindrical member against rotation.

5. A releasing device for the cableline of oil well machinery, comprising a cylindrical base-part, a cylindrical member, a connection between said base-part and said cylindrical member, on which the latter is rotatable, said connection being provided with a series of grooves, a member releasably carried by said cylindrical member, members pivoted to said cylindrical member and normally engaging said releasable member to lock the same against release, and movable into said grooves to lock the cylindrical member against rotation, and a wedge-member for actuating said pivoted members.

6. A releasing device for the cable line of oil well machinery, comprising a cylindrical base-part, a cylindrical member rotatable on said base-part, a member releasably carried by said cylindrical member, members pivoted to said cylindrical member and normally engaging said releasable member to lock the same against release, and movable to lock the cylindrical member against rotation, and a wedge-member for actuating said pivoted members.

7. A releasing device for the cable line of oil well machinery, comprising a cylindrical base-part, a cylindrical member rotatable on said base-part, a member releasably carried by said cylindrical member, members 105 pivoted to said cylindrical member and normally engaging said releasable member to lock the same against release, and movable to lock the cylindrical member against rotation, a sectional wedge-member for actuat- 110 ing said pivoted members, and means for yieldingly holding said wedge-sections against accidental displacement.

8. A releasing device for the cable line of oil well machinery, comprising a cylindrical 115 base-part, a cylindrical member rotatable on said base-part, a member releasably carried by said cylindrical member, members pivoted to said cylindrical member and normally engaging said releasable member to 120 lock the same against release, and movable to lock the cylindrical member against rotation, a sectional wedge-member for actuating said pivoted members, and curvilinear springs encircling said wedge-member for 125 holding the sections thereof against accidental displacement.

9. In a releasing device for the cable line of oil well machinery, a cylindrical member,

a member rotatably carried by said cylin- 130 drical member, locking arms pivoted to said cylindrical member and normally engaging said rotatable member to prevent rotation thereof, a sectional wedge-member for rocking said pivoted members on their pivots out of engagement with said rotatable member, and means for yieldingly holding the wedgemember sections against accidental displacement. V

10. In a releasing device for the cable line of oil well machinery, a cylindrical member, a member rotatably carried by said cylindrical member, locking arms pivoted to said cylindrical member and normally engaging said rotatable member to prevent rotation thereof, a sectional wedge-member for rocking said pivoted members on their pivots out of engagement with said rotatable member, one of said wedge-member sections carrying sockets and the other of said wedge-member sections pins entering said sockets, and means for yieldingly holding said sections against accidental displacement.

11. A releasing device for the cable-line of oil-Well machinery, comprising a basemember adapted for engagement with a sinker, a socket-member axially alined with said base-member, a connection between said base-member and said socket-member, said'socket-member being swiveled on said connection, a plug-member rotatably engageable with said socket-member, and means carried by said socket-member and normally engaging said plug-member for normally preventing rotation of the latter in said socket-member.

'12. A releasing-device forthe cable-line of oil-well machinery, comprising a basemember adapted for engagement with a .sinker, a socket-member axially alined with said base-member, aconnection between said base-member and said socket-member, said socket-member being swiveled on said connection, a plug-member rotatably engageable with said socket-member, means carried by said socket-member and normally engaging said plug-member for normally preventing rotation of the latter in said socketmember, and a wedge-member for disengaging said means from said plug-member to permit rotation of the latter. 7

13.,A releasing device for the cable-line of oil-well machinery, comprising a basemember adapted for engagement with a sinker, a socket-member axially alined with said base-member, a connection between said base-member and said socket-member, "said socket-member being sw veledion said connection, a plug-member rotatably engageable with said socket-member, pivoted members carried by said socket-member and normally engaging said plug-member for nor- 7 mally preventing rotation of the latter in said socket-member, and a wedgeemember for rocking said pivoted members out of engagement with said plug-member.

1a. A releasing device for the cable-line of oil-well machinery, comprising a basemember adapted for engagement with a sinker, a socket-member axially, alined with said base-member, a connection between said base-member and, said socket-member.

said socket-member being "swiveled on said connection, aplug-member rotatably engageable with said socket-member, pivoted members carried by said socket-member and nor- 7 mally engaging said, plug-member for normally preventing rotation of the latter in said socket-member, and means for simultaneously rocking said pivoted members out of engagement with said plug-member and into engagement whereby rotation of the plug-member is permitted and swivel movement of said socketmember is prevented.

15. A releasingdevice ior the cable-line of'oil-well maehiner comprising a basememberv adapted for engagement ,"Wlth a sinker, a socket-member axially alined with said base-member, a connection between said base-member and said socket-member,

with said connection,

said socketemember; being swiveled on said i connection, a plug-member rotatably engageable with said socket-1nember,- pivoted members carried by said socket-member and nor: mally engaging vsaid plug-member to prevent rotation ofthe latter, and normally out of;

contact with said connectionfand a wedgemember for simultaneously -,rocking; said pivoted members ont of engagement with said plugfmember to permit rotation thereof, and into locking engagement with said connection to prevent swivel movement of said socket-member; 1 j V a 1 16. A releasing device for the cable-line of oil-well machinery, inclnding'a socketmember, a plug-member rotatably engageable therewith, and antomatioallybperable movable means carried by said plug-member for limiting rotary movement of said plugmember in a direction to release the same from said socket-member.

U 17. A;releasing,devicej for the cable-line of oil-well machinery, including 'a socket-V member," a plug-member rotatably. engageabletherewith-and a spring-pressed plunger carried by: said plug-member for auto;- 7' matically r limiting movementxof the latter in a direction to, release it ,from'said socket member.

V In testimony w'hereof, I aliix my signa tare. 

